Transfer or float bridge



Qct. 14, 1930. 'JQB. FRENCH TRANSFER on FLOAT BRIDGE 3 Sheets-Shed 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1929 lllll'lflllllllllll'llll lllli L INVENTOR JAMES B.F'RE NCH {5/ 21.: aildrneya Oct. 14, 1930.

J. B. FRENCH TRANSFER 0R FLOAT BRIDGE Filed Jan. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMES BFRENCH Oct. 14, 1930. J. B. FRENCH TRANSFER OR FLOAT BRIDGE Filed Jan. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JAMES B FRENCH 13 a tia'rrnya Patented Oct. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JAMES B. FRENCH, F JAMAICA, NEW YORK TRANSFER 0R FLOAT BRIDGE Application filed January 26, 1929; Serial No. 335,229.

This invention relates to bridges for connecting afloat, lighter, or barge with the shore, and is especially useful for the transfer of railway cars from floats, lighters or barges to land and vice versa. The invention is particularly advantageous where such transfer is to be efiected at tidal water fronts.

An object of theinvention is the provision of a transfer bridge by means of which railway cars may be easily conveyed in either direction between a track upon land and a track upon a float Whose elevation is variable. Another object is to provide a construction which will reduce the usual exshowing the position of thetransfer bridge at low tide, Fig. 3 is 'a similarsection showing the transfer bridge at high tide,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bridge; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the bridge taken on the line 55 of Figure 1,

Fig. 6 is a similar section of the rails and the parts carrying them taken on the line- 6-6 of Figure 1, 7 l

i Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the position of the centre lines passing through the pivots of the-principal mer'n-' bers at high, mean and low tide, and

Fig. 8 illustrates one form of slidable pivot. 1

It has long been asource of difliculty in transferring railway rolling. stock from floats or lighters to land, or from land to floats or lighters, that the angle which the transfer bridge track makes with the stationary land track becomes excessive, thus causing a vertical displacement of the car couplings and undue impact as the car 6 trucks pass from one track to the other. 7 At main bridge. The auxiliary member is pref- -apparent that the main bridge is free, as

times the cars may be uncoupled as a resu'lt of passing over this angle in the track. After continuedobservation of these difliculties for many years, I have found that these troubles may be eliminated by means of a special construction, which Iwill describe.

-According to my invention there is provided a main bridge, as before, having a free end and a pivoted land end, in combi-' an nation with an auxiliary member pivoted. at one end between the ends of the main bridge and pivoted at its other end beyond the pivoted end of the main bridge.

lnthe drawings there is shown a main bridge 10 having a free end 11, and a pivoted end 12 constrained for rotation about a pivot13. An auxiliary track bearing member 14 is pivoted at one end 15 between the ends of the main bridge 10, and is pivoted at its other end 16 beyondthe pivoted end 12 of the main bridge 10. The latter end 16 is the land end of the auxiliary member.

Thus the auxiliary member 1 1 has both ends pivoted.

A pivot 17 is provided for the land end 16 of the auxiliarymember, and another pivot 18 is provided for the end 15 of the auxiliary member which is between the ends of the so erably supported only at the pivots. The pivot 17 and the pivot 13 of the main bridge are preferably in the same horizontal plane. From the foregoing description it will be heretofore, to swing vertically about its landward pivot 13. It will also be evident that the auxiliary member 14 is free to swing vertically aboutits pivoted end 17as the main bridge is raised or lowered.

As-the bridge is here illustrated, when the transfer bridge is level all three pivots 13,

17 and 18 are in the same horizontal plane. In all positions of the birdge the pivots 13 and 17 remain in the same relation to each 1; other. It willbe seen, however, that the auxiliary member is adapted to swing past the pivot l3of the main bridge as the main bridge moves past the horizontal position.

See Figs. 2 and 3. The auxiliary member has two ends pivoted, and preferably extends substantially an equal distance on either side of the pivot 13 of the main bridge.

In order to permit the main bridge and the auxiliary member, which are pivoted together, to swing about different centers, one or both of the pivots of the auxiliary member must be slidable. As a practical matter, it is preferred to make provision for sliding at both of the pivots 17 and 18. Thus a pin in the auxiliary member 14 may slide in a longitudinal slot at the land end as illustrated at 17, or a similar pin in the end 15 of the auxiliar member 10 between the ends of the main bridge may slide in a longitudinal slot in the main bridge as illustrated at 18.

Another method of making the pivots of the auxiliary member slidable is indicated in Fig. 8. Here a pin 2 1 (which may be either the pivot connection 17 or the pivot connection 18) passes through the auxiliary member 14: and turns in a block which rests and is adapted to slide on a. surface 26. The surface 26 may be formed in a shoe at the land end of the auxiliary member, or it may be formed in a part or parts riveted to the main bridge 10. In either case the pivotQt turns in the block 25 which in turn slides on the surface 26 on the member supporting it. A slidable pivot is thereby provided.

The auxiliary member 1 1 carries rails 19 .which register with rails 20 on land beyond the pivot 17, and also with rails 21 on the main bridge beyond the pivot 18. The free end 11 of the main bridge is elevated or depressed so that the ends of the rails 21 which it carries meet the ends of rails 22 carried by a float or lighter 23 at whatever tide level exists.

According to the invention the usual excessive angle at the land end of a transfer bridge at high or low tidenormally the angle at the pivot point 13is reduced. To this end means are provided for making two angles in the track (at the pivots 17 and 18) instead of one (at the pivot 13) as has heretofore been the case. Each of these angles is substantially one-half of the angle which would exist were the auxiliary member not used, as will be apparent from a glance at Fig. 7. Because two smaller angles are provided instead of a single greater angle, the transition from the main transfer bridge to the land is more gradual, and the cars may be more easily conveyed in either direction between the land and the float. Further, since the auxiliary member is merely pivoted at two points it swings up and down with the main bridge and its operation is automatic and fool-proof.

The auxiliary member 1 1 is preferably made long enough to support upon its rails 19 at the same time the adjacent trucks of two coupled cars. lVhen such a length of auxiliary member is employed, a minimum vertical displacement of the car couplings results, and there is less impact as successive pairs of wheels pass from the rails on one member to those upon an adjacent member. Uncoupling of the cars is therefore avoided.

The particular construction here illustrated by way of example is not to be considered as limiting the invention. Obviously many other arrangements and structural details may be employed which come within the scope of the invention.

I claim: I

1. In a transfer bridge or similar construction, a main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, in combination with an auxiliary member pivoted at one end between the ends of said main bridge, and also pivoted at its other end.

2. In a transfer bridge or a similar construction, a main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, in combination with an auxiliary member pivoted at one end between the ends of said main bridge and pivoted at its other end beyond the pivoted end of said main bridge.

3. In atransfer bridge or similar construction, a main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, and an auxiliary member having one end pivotally supported on land and one end pivotally supported on the main bridge between the ends of the latter.

4. In a transfer bridge or similar construction, main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, in combination with an auxiliary member having both ends pivoted, one at a point on said main bridge and one off of said main bridge beyond its pivoted end, one of the pivots of said auxiliary member being slidable.

5. In a transfer bridge or similar construction, a main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, in combination with an auxiliary member having both ends pivoted one at a point on said main bridge and one off of said main bridge beyond its pivoted end, said auxiliary member being adapted to swing past the pivot of said main bridge as the main bridge moves past the horizontal position.

(3. In a transfer bridge or similar construction, a main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, in combination with an auxiliary member having both ends pivoted supported only at the pivots, one end being pivoted at a point on said main bridge and one off of said main bridge beyond its pivoted end, rails on said auxiliary member, and rails on said main bridge extending from its free end substantially to said rails on said auxiliary member.

7 In a railway transfer bridge or similar construction, a main bridge having a free end and a pivoted end, in combination with an auxiliary member pivoted at one end between the ends of said main bridge and pivoted at lfit) its other end beyond the pivoted end of said main bridge, and rails upon said auxiliary member, said auxiliary member and said rails being of suflicient length to support at the same time the adjacent trucks of two coupled cars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES B. FRENCH. 

